FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-The term must-win gets thrown around way too often over the course of a long season and last night obviously doesn’t fit the criteria either but yea, that was one they absolutely had to have. Coming in on a five-game slide, on home ice, with three top players back in the lineup and the league’s worst team in town…ya they were out of excuses. They had to find a way. It wasn’t perfect and it certainly wasn’t easy but the Ottawa Senators got the job done. They now sit two points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand and with two head-to-head match-ups still remaining. Just 23 to go.
-It’s a bit of an exaggeration I suppose but it really felt like the season was on the line heading into that third period last night. With 20 minutes to go, portions of the fan base were already starting to unravel on Twitter and in the comment section and it’s sort of terrifying to think what last night and today would look like if they didn’t find a way. Full credit to the team’s best players, including both Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle, for stepping up when the Sens needed them most. There was no panic in Ottawa’s game in that third period and they just found a way. Really encouraging effort in that final frame, especially with their backs against the wall.
-He gave up three goals against but that was a damn good effort from Linus Ullmark. Finished the game with a .919 sv%, which is right about where they need him to be down the stretch if they’re gonna make a late push. Thought Ullmark looked especially sharp in that first period when the rest of his team was anything but. The goal by Shane Pinto (which basically means a guaranteed win for the Sens apparently) seemed to snap the Senators out of it but up until that point they were sleepwalking. Ullmark kept them in it really. In his five starts since returning from injury, Ullmark has posted a save percentage of .915% or better four times. On the right track.
-The San Jose Sharks certainly didn’t look like a team that should lose seven straight. This is obviously a young team and they make a ton of mistakes, as you’d expect, but they really had the Senators on their heels during that first period. There is a ton of talent in that forward group and for the second time this season, they carried the play for long stretch against the Senators. He gets lost in the shuffle a little bit because the Sharks are losing so many hockey games (and often in devastating fashion) but Macklin Celebrini is gonna be a star in this league for a long time.
-The league has to take a closer look at that late game cross-check on Jake Sanderson by Tyler Toffoli. Intentional, vicious and directly to the back of the neck. Would love to hear an explanation from one of the game’s officials (Peter MacDougall and Brian Pochmara) on how something like that doesn’t get called though. Hockey is a fast sport and its impossible to see everything but that was blatant, in clear site and right in the middle of the play. Letting that go cost the Senators a goal against and it coulda been worse. It serves as a good reminder just how frustrating officiating can be in this league, especially as the games ramp up in both intensity and meaning. There was no update on Sanderson’s status afterwards but would be surprised if he missed any time.
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